Volkswagen Golf 8 2.0 TDI review: more than more of the same

“More of the same” has been the recurring charge levelled at the Volkswagen Golf, generation after generation. It is a fair accusation, given Volkswagen’s commitment to gradual evolution rather than abrupt change - even when those changes do happen and we do not notice them - compared with its closest predecessors.

Is that a conservative approach? Yes, but… It has not stopped the Golf becoming the benchmark against which rivals have been judged for decades. It combines a set of objective and subjective qualities that, almost by default, make it one of the segment’s most accomplished and capable offerings.

The figures are hard to dispute: with only a few exceptions, the Golf has been Europe’s best-selling car for many, many years. If it works, why change it, right?

Well, Volkswagen appears to have changed more than usual this time, and the leap from the seventh to the eighth generation is clear. Looking at it, however, you would not necessarily think so. On the outside, it remains unmistakably a… Golf - its silhouette is instantly recognisable.

Digital invasion…

While I have to concede that its exterior is indeed “more of the same”, the moment you take a seat inside, the reality could not be more different - the transformation is radical.

Buttons, switches and levers have been left behind. The far more minimalist, visually sophisticated design relies chiefly on touch controls and touch-sensitive surfaces, with (almost) every function concentrated in the two displays.

The designers have clearly worked to integrate the screens and controls more harmoniously and cohesively into the whole, placing them across a continuous, unifying gloss-black surface - which, it must be said, picks up dirt rather easily. The finished result is far more convincing than in other cars, where tablets appear to have been stuck onto the centre console, but this extensive digitalisation comes at a price.

That price is usability. Grouping functions within the infotainment system - including frequently used ones such as climate control - together with the various touch controls that offer no haptic feedback, makes the cabin harder to operate and demands greater accuracy and concentration from the driver.

This is not a criticism aimed exclusively at the Golf, but at the industry more broadly. Car interiors have been steadily digitalised for years, and in the overwhelming majority of cases, the practical outcome remains disappointing in terms of usability and ergonomics overall.

…but still analogue

Step into the new Volkswagen Golf and there can be no doubt: this is a 21st-century car. We are surrounded by the new touch-based, digital reality that increasingly dominates car interiors, making the driving experience all the more intriguing. Yet there is nothing digital or synthetic about the way the Golf drives - and that is a very good thing.

To begin with, “our” 2.0 TDI features a mechanical, engaging six-speed manual gearbox. Its substantial gear lever seems almost out of place in this sophisticated cabin - entirely unlike the much smaller, more delicate shift-by-wire selector used by DSG versions.

Its operation feels reassuringly mechanical, although it is not quite as slick as that of some Japanese units. The ratios are very well matched to the 2.0 TDI, the throw is appropriate, and there is a welcome weight to its action that works in perfect harmony with the other controls, including the steering.

Yes, the steering is not as light as you might expect, but that is no bad thing: it gives you a confident foundation when tackling corners with greater enthusiasm. It is complemented by a steering wheel of the right diameter and with just the right amount of thickness, resulting in an excellent grip.

The Volkswagen Golf is not as entertaining through bends as a Ford Focus, but it still has a pleasingly organic quality in the way it deals with more twisting stretches of road. All this comes without compromising either stability or passenger comfort. In fact, its dynamic balance is at a very high level, making it one of the best in the segment.

A natural motorway cruiser

Where the Volkswagen Golf impressed most, though, was on the motorway - well, it does come from the land of the autobahn. I cannot remember driving another car in this segment that felt as stable and unruffled as this German hatchback.

Long journeys at high cruising speeds are effortless. Its stability is remarkable - even when some motorways present corners that are sharper than they ought to be - and so is its refinement. Mechanical, tyre and aerodynamic noise are all effectively kept under control.

The efficient 2.0 TDI also makes a major contribution to its long-distance ability. In this 116 PS version, it replaces the previous 1.6 TDI, and I can only say: thank goodness… Because, as the Americans say…

“There’s no replacement for displacement”

In other words, “there is no substitute for engine capacity”, an expression normally associated with thunderous, family-sized V8s. Yet this distinctly American saying suits this very German car perfectly, particularly the 2.0 TDI tested here. Why?

Personally, I was never a great admirer of the 1.6 TDI. It was not the most pleasant engine to use, as it seemed to suffer from a degree of “anaemia”, especially at low revs, while its refinement - both acoustically and in terms of vibration - also left something to be desired. It was economical, however…

The extra 400 cm³ of the 2.0 TDI substantially improve the experience. Its 116 PS output is the same as the 1.6 TDI’s, but there is much more “lung”, in other words, greater availability. From the lowest revs through to the upper reaches - where it feels notably at ease, something unusual for a diesel - the 2.0 TDI is a more capable and much more satisfying engine in every respect.

And fuel consumption does not suffer as a result - quite the opposite… At moderate speeds, I recorded less than 4.0 l/100 km, while motorway driving settled at exactly five litres. Getting beyond six litres requires either heavy urban stop-start traffic or a considerably more aggressive driving style.

Is the Volkswagen Golf right for me?

Unsurprisingly, the new Volkswagen Golf proves to be one of the segment’s most capable cars. It is neither the cheapest option nor the one with the most space - despite its welcoming rear accommodation, which includes an armrest with integrated cupholders and USB-C ports - but it does almost everything extremely well, and better than most rivals.

In the specific case of this 2.0 TDI, and given the Golf’s outstanding long-distance credentials, we could only recommend it to genuine high-mileage drivers. If your use is mainly urban, the significantly more affordable and refined 1.0 TSI will meet every need, despite using more fuel.

In many ways, the eighth-generation Volkswagen Golf remains true to itself, but it is far from being “more of the same”. While that is usually the argument made by Golf critics, it has always been one of the model’s greatest virtues. The Golf 8, however, is different…

Digitalisation and connectivity are the major focus of this new generation. They open up a world of new possibilities - over-the-air updates and Car-to-X, for example - and give the German hatchback fresh strengths that could appeal to an entirely new generation of customers.

Yet the enormous leap represented by the redesigned interior, and the resulting implications for the way we interact with it, could make the Golf 8 the most divisive Golf of all, even among its fans.